Xbox CEO Asha Sharma said Microsoft’s gaming business is not for sale, addressing speculation about the company’s plans for the division after months of restructuring and layoffs. In an interview with The New York Times, Sharma said that Microsoft would do what is needed to set the company up for success.
The comments follow earlier reporting in June that Microsoft considered several possible changes to Xbox, including spinning it out as a separate subsidiary or forming a joint venture. Sharma’s latest comments don’t detail every possible future change to the division, but they make clear that a sale is not the company’s current plan. The statement also comes as Xbox continues to reorganize its studios, workforce and business operations.
Key Takeaways
- Xbox CEO Asha Sharma says the gaming business is not for sale, addressing speculation around Microsoft’s plans.
- Sharma says Microsoft will continue evaluating partnerships and its operating model as Xbox undergoes restructuring.
- Earlier reports had described potential structural options for Xbox, including a possible spin-off or joint venture, but did not establish that Microsoft had decided to sell it.
- The statement comes amid ongoing Xbox restructuring and layoffs, which had contributed to speculation about the division’s future.
Asha Sharma Addresses Reports Of A Potential Xbox Sale
Sharma’s comments came in a New York Times interview published on September 30. When asked whether Xbox is for sale, Sharma said, “Xbox is not for sale.” She also said Microsoft would “do whatever it takes to set the company up for success,” including exploring partnerships and the right operating model. Sharma added that Xbox has “a long way to go with Microsoft” and that the company would take a long-term view. Several outlets reported her comments after the interview, including The Verge and Shacknews.
Microsoft executives had considered options for changing Xbox’s relationship with the wider company. Those options included turning Xbox into a wholly owned subsidiary, creating a joint venture with another company, or potentially spinning the business out entirely. The report did not say that Microsoft had decided to sell Xbox, and it said no immediate restructuring of that kind was planned at the time. Reuters similarly reported that the options were under consideration, citing The Information’s reporting.
Sharma’s latest comments therefore provide a clearer statement of Xbox’s current position. They do not, however, establish that Microsoft’s corporate structure around Xbox cannot change in the future.
How The Statement Fits Into Xbox’s Ongoing Restructuring
The question about a possible sale has emerged alongside substantial changes within Xbox. Microsoft began restructuring the gaming division under Sharma earlier this year, cutting jobs and changing how several studios operate.
Microsoft’s June restructuring plans included thousands of job cuts across the gaming division. The Wall Street Journal reported that Microsoft planned to cut about 3,200 Xbox positions as part of the restructuring. More recent changes have also involved moving studios and franchises between different parts of Microsoft’s gaming organization.
Halo Studios was reduced substantially, while some development teams were moved under other Microsoft gaming divisions. These changes have fueled speculation that Microsoft is preparing Xbox for a different corporate structure. Xbox players also discussed that speculation online. A Reddit discussion on Xbox about the New York Times interview attracted significant discussion, with users debating what Sharma’s statement means alongside the ongoing restructuring. Those comments represent community reaction rather than evidence of Microsoft’s plans.
For now, Microsoft’s publicly stated position is that Xbox remains within the company. Sharma’s comments also indicate that Microsoft is still considering changes to how the gaming business operates, including partnerships and its operating model. This leaves two separate issues: whether Microsoft intends to change Xbox internally, and whether it intends to sell or spin out the business. Sharma has directly rejected the latter as the current plan, while the restructuring shows that the former remains ongoing.
